Cross-flow system



25, r1940. P. R. KING Er A.

6R08 S -FLW SYSTEII Fuedmv, 29. 1937 a shuts-shut 1 /A/L/ffA/roes.'

xmlns# June 25, 1940.

P. R. KING Er AL 'cxoss-E'Low sYsml 'Filed Nqv. 2.9. 1937 2 Smets-sheet 2 Patented June 25, 1940 `GROSS-FLOW SYSTEM Philo E. King, Webster Groves, Mo., and Russell D. Baker, Alton, lll., assignors to Union Starch' and Refining Company, Columbus, Ind., va corporation of Indiana Application November 29, 1937, Serial No. 177,031

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to washing operations, and in particular to'a novel method of cross-flowing water in coarse slop, ne slops and germ washing systems of a starch making process, and in other similar connections.

In the manufacture of starch, or the processing of similar materials, it islcustomary to grind parts of the grain in a mill, and then to pass the mass through a multiple washing system. Each -washing system usually comprises a series of screens, or the like, through which thematerial is successively passed and wetted with water. Preferably; the water ilows so that it is introduced at the last screen .of the system and worked toward the firstone in opposition to the course of the material being washed, commonly known as the counter-now principle. The advantage of this is that the freshest water passes over the cleanest material.'

Where there are two or more washing systems, such as the germ washing system, thel coarse slop washing system and line slop washing system, it has heretofore been the practice to introduce water from the supply separately to each system.-

The present invention provides such a iiow that a singlesupply of water, of a quantity much less than the total normally supplied to all three, may employed, yet preserving the advantag of the counter-flow principle.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a ow system for a plurality of washing systems so connected between them that a singl supply of water maybe adequate for all.

. It is a further object of the above system to preserve the characteristic counter-now principle; that is, of supplying the cleanest water `177,030, nies November'zs, 1937, there is shownA a source of` supply here represented by a Buhr mill at I that receives a supply of grain material.

f 'from an mnow une z. An qutflc'w une s mds from the Buhr mill to the twb washing systems,

-screen 5 to the line 2I.

the first of which is here shown as a coarse slop washing system and the second of which is illustrated' by a fine slop washing system.

lThe coarse slop washing system consists of a series of screens, 4, 5, 6, and 1 (the term being generic, and including any like means), following the last of which is a squeezer 8. I'he material passes via the line 8 into' the screen 4, thence by a line 9 into the screen 5, thence by a`line Ill into the screen 6, thence by a line II into the screen `1, and from the screen 1 by a line I2 into the squeezer element 8. ,I'he coarse slop is then conveyed outward throlh a conduit I8.

A iow line. I4 leads from beneath the screen 4 into the first screen I5 of the ne slop system.

This-latter system includes successively screens .thence by a line 22 to the screen I8, and nally by a line 28 to the press I9. From the press it `is conveyed out of the system through a, line 24.

A pipe 25 is connected to awater supply. In the case of starch processing, this water supply may desirably be brought from the-starch Washing system, such as shown in the copending application referred to. 'Ihe pipe 25 is connected into the line Il ahead of the screen 1. A line 28 leads from beneath the screen 1 to the line 22. A line 21 leads from beneath the A line 28 leads from beneath the screen 5 to the line 20. A crossflow `line 28 leads from beneath the screen I8 to the line III. A cross-flow line leads from beneath the screen I1 to the line 9. Acrossflow line 8Ileads from beneath the screen II through a line 82 to the line 8 and with a branch 88,-into the line 2. VA line 84 leads from be- .neath the screen I5 out of the slop washing system. A line 85 leads from beneath the squeezer 8 to the line II and a line 88 leads from beneaththe 'press I8 to the line 28 and ultimately by line 22 into the screen I8.

'I'he operation of this system is as follows:

, A mass of.grain material is passed through a.A line 2 into the'Buhr mill I wherein it is ground and ilows to the first screen 4 of the coarse slop washing system. 'Ille flne material then gs through this screen and out the line I4 into the screen I5 of the fine slop washing system. The coarse slop then flows successively through the screens i, 8, -and 1, as will be evident, and ultimately to the squeezer 8 and out the line I3.` The ne material passes from the screen I5 through the screens I6, I1, and I8. then to the press I9, and iinally out the line 24.

The water is introduced through the line and flows rst into the line II and through the screen 1, which is the last screen of the coarse slop washing system. In this screen it washes the coarse slop therein which, as will be evident, is the cleanest of the coarse slop. 'I'he slop itself flows on through the line I2 to the squeezer 8 and any water obtained in the squeezer flows back through the line back into the screen 1.

The water from the screen 1, with any starch taken into suspension, then flows down by line 26 to the line 22 and into the last screen I 9 of the fine slop washing system. Therein it washes the cleanest of the fine slop. which slop then flows through line 23 to the press I9. -The water extracted by this press then flows back through the line 36 to the line 26 and then back in to the screen I8. l

The Water flowing through the screen I8 with its suspended starch passes by the cross-flow line 29 back up to the line ,I0 where it enters the screen 6 that is the next to cleanest of the coarse slop washing screens. It passes through this screen, washing the slop and taking up starch therefrom, and by the line' 21 flows down to the line 2I and into the screen I1 that is the next to cleanest screen of the iine slop system.

After washing the slopy in the screen I1, it flows through that screen and by the cross-flow line 30 to the line 9 and into the second dirtiest screen 5 of the coarse slop washing system. After washing this slop, it iiows through the screen 5 and by the line 28 to the line 20 and into the screen I6 of the second dirtiest ne slop. In the screen I6, it washes the slop and, flowing through the screen, passes by the cross-flow line 3l to the branch 32 into the rst dirtiest screen I4 of the coarse slop washing system. A small amount of the water also goes through the branch 33 into the line 2 and to the Buhr mill to assist in the operation of the latter.

In the screen 4, the water washes the coarse slop and assists in separating the ilne slop and conveying it throughthe line I4 into the first screen I5 of the fine slop Washing system. From this rst screen, after having washed the slops therein, the Water with the starch it has picked up in passing through the several screens ows out the line 34. It may then be used in some other part of the process as disclosed in the copending application referred to. During the washing, the water takes up starch material and becomes known as light starch milk.

In the type shown in Fig. 2, three washing systems are illustrated andthe invention applied to them. In this type, a germ separator of the usual kind is shown at 46, from which the germs are carried by a line 4I to the germ washing system, here shown as including a series of screens 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46 followed by some form of dehydrator such as a squeezer 41. It will be understood that the germs are caused to flow from the screen 42 through the line 48 to the screen 43; thence through line 49 to the screen 44; thence through line 50 to the screen 45; thence through line 5I to the screen 46; by line 52 to the element 41; and nally out through the line The-remaining materials are brought from the separator throughs. suitableflne 54 and may une a1.

undergo intermediate processing in the device 55, which may be some sort of screen. From the device 55 they ilow through the line 56 into the Buhr mill 51. From the Buhr mill the materials are transmitted through a line 58 to the coarse slop washing system that includes screens 59, 60, 6I, and 62 and finally a dehydrating means. such as squeezer 63. Materials flow from the screen 59 to the screen 68 through a line 64; from the screen 60 to the screen 6I through a line from the screen 6I to the screen 62 through a-line 66; from the screen 62 to the squeezer 63 through a line 61 and finally out through a line 68. g

Since the ilner material ows through the relatively coarse screens of the coarse slop washing system, this material will separate out at the screen 59, flowing through a line 16 into the fine slop washing system that includes the screens 1I, 12, 13, and 14 and the nal press 15. The

. fine slop flows from the screen 1I to the screen 12 through the line 16; from the screen 12 to the screen 13 through the line 11; from the screen 13 to the screen 14 through the line 18; from the screen 14 to the press 15 through a line 18 and finally out through a line 86.

The flow of water includes the following: a line from some outside source brings in clean water to the line 5I ahead of the last screen 46 of the germ washing system. This water iiows through the` screen 46, washing -the material therein, and thence out by a line 86 into the line 65, whereupon it ows through the screen 62. From this screen it passes through the line 81 into the line 18 and into the screen 14. From this point, it cross-flows through the line'll back up into the line 50 ahead of the penultimate or next to last screen 45 of the germ washing sys tem. After passing through this screen it flows out through the line 69 into the line 65 andthrough the screen 6I of the coarse slop washing system. Having passed through thisscreen,it then flows out through the line 90 into the line 11 and through the screen 13. From this screen itflows by cross-flow line 9| back upV into the line 49 leading into the screen 44 of the germ washing system. After flowing through this screen it leaves by the line 92 to enter the line 64 and flow through the screen 6I of the coarse slop system and thence by the line 93 into the line 16 and through the screen 12 of. the fine slop washing i system. From this screen it passes by a line 94 into the line 48 and through the screen 43 of the germ washing system. From this screen it ows through a line 95 into the line 58 and thence, together with the fine slop, itv flows through the screen 59 of the coarse slop system, andby the line 10 into and through the screen 1I of the ne slop system. It then flows out through a line 98.

As is familiar in the art, the starch milk from the first screen 42 of the germ washing system is directed back into the separator 48 through a line 99. tracted from the germ in the squeezer 41 is conveyed by a line |06 back up into the line 85. Also water extracted `from the coarse slop in the squeezer 63 is conveyed back by a line IM into line 86 and water extracted from the nne slop in the press 15 is conveyed back by line |62 into As a matter of precaution, screens may be employed to 'prevent loss of any germs that may escape through vthe germ washing screens. Such In addition to the above, water ex- 7 screens are shown at I 85, 166, |61,` and III in the 75 lines 9532, 89, and 86, respectively. The germs that may be separated by these screens are returned to the germ washing system as follows: from screen |05 by a line ||0 to the line 49, from the screen |06 by a line to the line 50, from the screen |01 by a line ||2 to the line 5|, and from the screen |08 by the line ||3 to the line 52.,

The operation of the system of Fig. 2 is as follows:

The material in the separator 40 usually consists of hulls, grits, and germs from the broken corn kernels, together with suilicient starch milk to 4maintain such a specic gravity that the germs float over a top wall thereof into the line 4| and into the rst screen 42 of the germ washing system. The hulls and grits in starch milk mixture pass out the line 54 into the processing device 55 where certain elements may be removed,

such as pointed out in the copending application referred to. The remaining products consisting chiey of hulls pass into the Buhr mill 51 through the line 56 wherein they are ground and broken up further so as to free as completely as possible all of the starch. From the Buhr mill the slops pass through line 58 into the screen 50 of the coarse slop washing system.

The ow through these several systems is produced by supplying water to them. It is understood that sucient starch milk from the separator and the Buhr mill is present to institute the flow of the several products.

When water is introduced into the line 85 it passes through the screen 46 which contains the cleanest germ., The water at this time is at itsr cleanest. From the screen 46 the waterthen flows via the lines 86 and 66 into the screen 62 that contains the cleanest' coarse slop. From this screen the water 'flows via the lines 81 and 18 into the screen 14 wherein are the cleanest fine slops. In this manner the cleanest water always is applied to the cleanest products.

The subsequent ow of the water from the i screen 14 takes it by a cross-how line 88 and line 50 into the penultimate screen 45 of the germ washing system where it washes the slightly less clean germs therein. As will be understood from the foregoing description, the water 'then successively flows through the penultimate devices of the coarse and fine slop washing systems to wash the slightly less clean products in .them and thereafter reaches the dirtiest products in all three systems.v In the line 98 the water will be laden with the maximum quantity of starch washed from the materials of the three systems and may be conducted to any suitable place for its re-use.

Modifications of the system are obvious. It requires a certain amount of water for washing a certain quantity of product 'in each washing system separately. By this system, substantially less water is successively applied to each screen but always preserving the relatively clean water for the relatively clean products. Thus where separate water was supplied for each system the total quantity of water would be substantially greater than the quantity here used, since the same water is passed successively through all systems.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to treatment of germs and slops in starch manufacture, or to any particular combination or sequence of the systems shown. and that any washying operation -involving successive treatment by a fluid is within its scope as dened by the claims to follow. l

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of Washing materials in a plurality of washing systems, the steps of passing the materials in each system successively through a. series of devices in which they may be washed, supplying r,a Washing medium into one device of the rst system, thence through said device to a device of each of the other systems, from the last such device returning it to a preceding device of the rst system, and thereafter directing said medium to cross-ow from one system to another so as to cause it to wash materials in all systems, and in so doing making it ow through the remaining devices of all of the systems.

2. In a method of Vwashing materials in a plu-'- `rality of washing systems, the steps of passing the materials in each system successively through a series nof devices in which they may be washed so that the materials in the later devcesin each systemy are more washed than in earlier ones, introducing water into one ofthe later devices of one systemcausing the water to ilow through later devices of all systems, then directing it into an earlier device of one system, and causing it to cross-flow from one system to another so as. to. wash materials in all systems until it reaches the earliest devices. A

3. In a method of washing materials in a plurality of washing systems, the steps of passing vthe materials of each system through a series of devices in which they may be .washed so that materials in the .last device of each system are the cleanest, introducing a washing medium i'nto a later device of one system to flow therethrough` then conducting it through the last' device of each other system successively, thereafter directing it back to the penultimate device of the rst system and successively through the corresponding devices of the other systems. I

4. In a method of washing materials in at least two washing'systems, the steps of passing the materials of each system successively through a series of devices, supplying water from a single source to one of said ydevices of the rst system, passing it through said device to a device of the second system, thence passing it back to a prior device of the rst system, and through the 'same to a prior device of the second system.

5. In a method of washing materials in`at .least two washing systems, the steps of gradually washing the material in each system by passing it successively through a series of screens, supplying water at a single point for effecting the washing inail systems, and directing the water through the systems to flow through later screens of all systems successively before passing into the earliest screen of any, and thereafter to cross-how fromone system to another through the earlier screens of all systems so as to apply the water in the several systems to materials substantially correspondingly dirty.

6. In a method of washing corn starch slops, the steps of grinding the slops, directing them to a rst screen of a series of coarse screens constituting a coarse slop washing system, directing the ne slopsthat pass through said rst coarse screen into a first ne screen of a series constituting a fine slop washingsystem, directing the slops through the screens of theirrespective systems, and washing them in each, introducing water into'the last screen of one system to flow over the slop therein and through the' screen, passingitthenceintoandthroughthe lastscreen of the other system to wash the slop therein. thence conveying it back to a previous screen in the original system to repeat the direction of flow until all of it passes throughall the screens of both systems.r

'7. In a method of washing materials in two washing systems, the steps of directing the material in each system through a series of screens and nally to a water removing device, introducing water into one of the systems at the last screen thereof, and then directing that water from one system to the other successively backward to the first screen of one of them, and directing the water from each water removing device back. into the system. 4

8. In a method of washing materials in a plurality of washing systems each consisting of a.

series of washing devices, the steps of passing' the materials in each system successively through the devices of that system, supplying water adjacent a later screen of one system andthereafter causing it to now in series through all the systems counter to the direction of ow of the materials being washed in such systems, and directing the water from one system to another over the relatively. clean materials in each system before it is directed over the relatively dirty materials in any system.

9. In a method of washing materials in a plurality of washing systems each consisting of a series of washing devices, the steps of passing the materials for washing successively through the devices in each system, supplying a predetermined quantity of water to one system and thereafter directing said predetermined quantity to iiow in at least two of the systems. and directing the water counter to the flow of materials in such systems, the said predetermined quantity of Water being directed through a plurality of devices in at least one system, and at least substantially completing the washing in said system, and being conveyed from one system into the other at such point that its degree of dirtiness from the nrst system'approximates the degree of dirtiness of the point in the second system into which it is introduced, and thereafter being directed through the remaining part of the second system.

10. In a method of washing materials in a plurality of washing systems, the steps of gradually washing the material in each system by passing it through a series of washing devices,

supplying a washing medium into the last device of the rst system and passing it therethrough, thereafter returning the medium to the last device of the second system, thereafter passing the medium into the next-to-last device o! the iirst system, and from the next-to-last device of the iirst system passing it to the next-to-last device of the second system, and from the next-to-last device of the second system passing the medium to the third-to-last device of the first system. and from the third-to-last device to the iirst system, passing the medium to the third-to-last device of the second system, and from the thirdto-last device of the second system, passing the medium into the fourth-to-last device of the iirst system, and from the iourth-to-last device of the rst system, passing the 'medium into the fourthto-last device of the second system.

PHILO R. KING. RUSSELL D. BAKER. 

